Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Isabel Field
Date
09 Jul 1917
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Object Detail
Date
09 Jul 1917
Transcript
St Ives 9th July
My Dearest Sis
Geoff has been & gone, all to quickly, & now he is in France as plain Private Hughes Field doing his gallantest.
It was lovely having him tho’ it was for such a short time. He looked splendid, so plump & fit & brown as his own hat. Talking of hats, I heard one lady I introduced him to say “Yours are the only hats I look at in London Mr Field”.
He was in great spirits & loved everything from the journey down to the cream & even his Auntie’s cooking wasn’t half bad. He will tell you all about his trip as he keeps a diary. We got a day at Land’s End & sat on the most enderly rock in England in the sunshine. In his heart I think he was comparing the cliffs with Kapiti as I did long ago when first I saw them – the thick carpet of wild flowers struck him & he said “Wouldn’t Dad love it”. One night we dined at the Lindners & saw their lovely house, his first English home. I heard him saying to Mrs Lindner “I could only polish my buttons & I hope you’ll excuse the rest”. I introduced him to everyone I met & he left a very happy impression behind him. Dear Mr Hartley, the etcher, said to him “Oh young man what would I not give to be in your shoes” and he certainly did look a happy young warrior. As soon as he sends his address I will send him a cake & some sweets, tho’ he isn’t a bit keen on things to eat especialy in the sweet line – but I expect he will be glad of them all the same. I am getting busy now, have 2 private pupils young Spenlove Spenlove & another & some of the commoner sort. Best of all I have received my first commission to paint a portrait. It’s the pretty lady I told you of in my last – the husband came & said she must be painted. We are going to discuss it this morning. Geoff’s letter just came. Love to you all. From Frances
My Dearest Sis
Geoff has been & gone, all to quickly, & now he is in France as plain Private Hughes Field doing his gallantest.
It was lovely having him tho’ it was for such a short time. He looked splendid, so plump & fit & brown as his own hat. Talking of hats, I heard one lady I introduced him to say “Yours are the only hats I look at in London Mr Field”.
He was in great spirits & loved everything from the journey down to the cream & even his Auntie’s cooking wasn’t half bad. He will tell you all about his trip as he keeps a diary. We got a day at Land’s End & sat on the most enderly rock in England in the sunshine. In his heart I think he was comparing the cliffs with Kapiti as I did long ago when first I saw them – the thick carpet of wild flowers struck him & he said “Wouldn’t Dad love it”. One night we dined at the Lindners & saw their lovely house, his first English home. I heard him saying to Mrs Lindner “I could only polish my buttons & I hope you’ll excuse the rest”. I introduced him to everyone I met & he left a very happy impression behind him. Dear Mr Hartley, the etcher, said to him “Oh young man what would I not give to be in your shoes” and he certainly did look a happy young warrior. As soon as he sends his address I will send him a cake & some sweets, tho’ he isn’t a bit keen on things to eat especialy in the sweet line – but I expect he will be glad of them all the same. I am getting busy now, have 2 private pupils young Spenlove Spenlove & another & some of the commoner sort. Best of all I have received my first commission to paint a portrait. It’s the pretty lady I told you of in my last – the husband came & said she must be painted. We are going to discuss it this morning. Geoff’s letter just came. Love to you all. From Frances
Pages
4 pages
Sender's address
St. Ives, Cornwall
Recipient's address
151 The Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand
Institutional No.
MS-Papers-0085-32
Credit Line
Letters
from
Frances
Hodgkins.
Field,
Isabel
Jane,
1867-1950
:
Correspondence
of
Frances
Hodgkins
and
family
/
collected
by
Isabel
Field.
Ref:
MS-Papers-0085-32.
Alexander
Turnbull
Library,
Wellington,
New
Zealand.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22784883
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22784883